Comparison

GridSpace Crosswords vs Spell the Hive

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

GridSpace Crosswords

Engage your vocabulary and deductive reasoning with unique diagramless crosswords. Solve puzzles on a blank grid, deducing black square placement and word positions. Offers multiple difficulty levels and game modes for a challenging yet relaxing experience.

Highlights
  • Diagramless crossword puzzles
  • 15 free puzzles across 3 difficulty levels
  • Weekly Spotlight puzzles with themes
  • Relaxed and Timed game modes
  • Offline play
  • Two visual themes
  • Accessibility features
Read full description

In a regular crossword, the grid tells you where every answer goes. In a diagramless crossword, it doesn't. The black squares are hidden, and working out the grid layout is half the challenge. GridSpace is dedicated to diagramless crosswords - a rare puzzle format that tests both your vocabulary and your deductive reasoning. You'll use the clues, the starting position, and crossword rules to work through each puzzle from a blank grid. HOW IT WORKS - You start with an empty grid and the position of the first clue - Solve clues and figure out where each answer belongs - Deduce where black squares go based on crossword rules like minimum word length and rotational symmetry - Every letter must belong to both an Across and a Down word FEATURES - 15 free puzzles across 3 difficulty levels (7x7, 9x9, and 11x11 grids) - Weekly Spotlight puzzles with unique themes - Relaxed and Timed game modes - Full undo/redo and autosave - 5 free hints to highlight any wrong letter; earn more by watching a short ad, or buy more in bulk - Two visual themes: Cosmic (dark with neon highlights) and Classic (light) - No login or sign-up required - Play offline, no internet needed to solve - Comprehensive accessibility: VoiceOver with custom navigation actions for grid, clues, and keyboard, plus Dynamic Type and Reduce Motion support MORE PUZZLES Want more? Additional puzzle packs are available for purchase. Never tried a diagramless crossword? The built-in "How to Play" guide and in-game tips cover everything you need to get started.

About

Spell the Hive

A multilingual word game where you find words from seven letters, including a central letter, to fill a hive. Offers unlimited puzzles, progress tracking, and definitions with no ads or tracking.

Highlights
  • Unlimited spelling puzzles
  • English, Spanish, and Portuguese languages
  • Pangrams and bonus scoring
  • Definitions and word breakdowns
  • Progress tracking and statistics
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Find words, fill the hive, and see how far your vocabulary can take you. Spell the Hive is a polished, multilingual spelling bee word game with unlimited puzzles and no ads. Create words from seven letters, always include the center letter, and hunt for special pangrams that use every letter in the hive. PLAY WITHOUT LIMITS Start a new puzzle whenever you want. There are no daily limits, energy systems, or waiting periods. FIND EVERY WORD Track everything you discover, review the words you missed, and check definitions as you play. GET A HELPING HAND Use board hints to uncover useful letter patterns. Spend earned nectar to reveal additional clues when you need them. CLIMB THE RANKS Every valid word earns points. Find longer words and pangrams to advance from Larvae all the way to Pure Honey. FOLLOW YOUR PROGRESS Revisit completed puzzles, continue games in progress, track personal statistics, and collect achievements as you master the hive. PLAY IN MULTIPLE LANGUAGES Switch between English, Spanish, and Portuguese from one app. Download each language pack once for offline play. MADE FOR WORD GAME LOVERS • Unlimited spelling puzzles • English, Spanish, and Portuguese • Curated word lists • Pangrams and bonus scoring • Board hints and word clues • Definitions and word breakdowns • Ranks, statistics, history, and badges • Multiple visual themes • Haptic feedback • Offline-friendly language packs • No ads • No tracking • Free to play How many words can you find?

Screenshots

GridSpace Crosswords4 screens
Spell the Hive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Spell the Hive at none against GridSpace Crosswords's shown. Spell the Hive also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). GridSpace Crosswords's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 10 days). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GridSpace Crosswords ships an update every 5 days, Spell the Hive every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
GridSpace Crosswords versus Spell the Hive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGridSpace CrosswordsSpell the Hive
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB61 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSkipstone Inc.Diogo De Souza Castro

Customer experience

GridSpace Crosswords

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Spell the Hive

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

GridSpace Crosswords

No in-app purchases

None

Spell the Hive

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GridSpace Crosswords free?
GridSpace Crosswords is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Spell the Hive free?
Spell the Hive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do GridSpace Crosswords or Spell the Hive have ads?
GridSpace Crosswords shows ads; Spell the Hive does not.
Which is updated more often, GridSpace Crosswords or Spell the Hive?
GridSpace Crosswords ships an update every 5 days, and Spell the Hive every 10 days. Most recently, GridSpace Crosswords was updated on October 24, 2026 and Spell the Hive on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons